Aromatic monoalkoxyaldehyde acetals

ABSTRACT

REACTING HALOGENATED BENZENES CONTAINING AT LEAST TWO DICHLOROMETHYL GROUPS WITH MONOHYDRIC OR POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS TO OBTAIN MONOALKOXYBENZALDEHYDE ACETALS WHICH ARE USEFUL AS HERBICIDES.

United States Patent 3,585,242 AROMATIC MONOALKOXYALDEHYDE ACETALS Ernst Roos, Cologue-Flittard, and Klaus Wagner,

Cologne, Buchheim, Germany, assignors to Farbenfabriken Bayer Aktiengesellschaft, Leverkusen, Germany No Drawing. Filed Sept. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 758,584 Claims priority, applicatigg 8(germany, Oct. 17, 1967,

Int. c1. (30% 43/30 U.S. Cl. 260-613 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Reacting halogenated benzenes containing at least two dichloromethyl groups with monohydric or polyhydric alcohols to obtain monoalkoxybenzaldehyde acetals which are useful as herbicides.

It is already known that pentachlorobenzal chloride can be reacted with alkali metal alcoholates to form paraalkoxytetrachlorobenzaldehyde acetals (Cf. S. D. Rose, M. Markarian, I. Am. Chem. Soc. 71 (1949) 2756). For example, it is possible by reacting sodium methoxide with pentachlorobenzal chloride to obtain para-methoxy-tetrachlorobenzaldehyde dimethyl acetal:

It would be logical to assume from this reaction that dialkoxy diecetals would be formed as the end products in the corresponding reactions of the tetrachloro-bis-(dichloromethyl)-benzenes with alkali metal alcoholates, and trialkoxytriacetals as the end products in the reaction of 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,S-tris-(dichloromethyl)-benzene.

Surprisingly, it has now been found that monoalkoxy aldehyde acetals are obtained by reacting aromatic compounds which contain at least two dichloromethyl groups in the molecule and which otherwise are completely substituted by chlorine atoms, with at least the stoichiometrically necessary quantity of a monohydric or polyhydric alcohol at a temperature of from 0 to 200 C. in the presence of an alkaline condensation agent.

It was also found in the course of this work that when starting compounds having two CHCl groups in the ortho or para position relative to one another are reacted only one of these groups is converted into the acetal, whilst the second remains unchanged, even when the alkali metal alcoholate is used in a fairly large excess.

In contrast to the already known reactions involving pentachlorobenzalchloride, which lead to the defined paraalkoxy compounds, isomer mixtures of monoalkoxyacetals are obtained in almost every instance in the reaction, according to the invention, of aromatic compounds which contain at least two dichloromethyl groups in the molecule and which otherwise are entirely substituted by chlorine atoms, with alkali metal alcoholates.

This unique reaction mechanism is illustrated by the reactions set out in the following Table A. The preparation of monoalkoxydichlorotrimesine aldehyde acetals is de scribed in this table under IV, as an example of a reaction in which a defined monoalkoxy compound, rather than an isomer mixture is formed because of the constitution of the starting material.

TABLE A r or 01- CHC12 o11c11 on R0 or orro1 CH(OR)2 C1CH CHC12 (ROhCH- CH(OR)2 I C13 OR 01- o1 I or III 11012 error,

\ K OR 01- -c1 1 I 011012 omen iv 31 OR ClgCH -CHC12 (RO)2CH CH(OR)2 C -0 C1- G1 I CI-IClg CH(OR)2 v or c1 oHo1, 01101,

onorr- CHC12 JH- o11 l Jz (OR)2 o1 or 01 011012 \CH(OR)2 ---r -H OR ClgCH -o1 ChCH- onon omon 2 In one particular embodiment of the process according to the invention, an aromatic polyhalogen compound having the formula:

in which X represents an integer from 2 to 5, is reacted in the presence of an alkaline condensation agent with at least the stoichiometric quantity of an alkali metal alcoholate of an alcohol of the formula in which a represents an integer from 1 to 6 and R represents an optionally unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical whose carbon chain may optionally be interrupted by ether oxygen atoms, or an araliphatic radical.

The chlorine compounds used as the starting materials are known from the literature and are readily prepared by the nuclear and side-chain chlorination of aromatic alkyl compounds containing at least two methyl groups on the benzene nucleus.

The following are examples of alcohols suitable for use in the process according to the invention: linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic monohydric alcohols with from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and preferably with from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, which may optionally contain two double bonds or one triple bond, such as methanol, ethanol, butanols, amyl alcohols, octyl alcohols, lauryl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, allyl alcohol, butinols and oleyl alcohols; cycloaliphatic alcohols with from 5 to 12 (and preferaby with 5 or 6) carbon atoms in the ring, which may optionally by substituted by lower alkyl radicals, such as cyclopentanol, cyclohexanol and methyl cyclohexonal; araliphatic alcohols with from 7 to 12 carbon atoms, in which case aryl is preferably phenyl whilst the aliphatic chain has from 1 to 6 (and preferably 1 or 2) carbon atoms, such as benzyl alcohol and phenylethyl alcohol; linear or branched saturated and unsaturated dihydric and polyhydric alcohols with from 2 to 20 (and preferably from 2 to carbon atoms which may optionally contain two double bonds or one triple bond, such as ethylene glycol, trimethylol ethane, trimethylol propane, hexane triols, xylylene glycols, cyclohexane diols, butene diols and butine diols.

In a preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, polyalkylene glycols which contain terminal hydroxyl groups and whose alkylene group has from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, with up to 33 (and preferably 4 to 17) ether oxygen atoms in the chain, are used. The following are mentioned by way of example: ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, octaethylene glycol and fairly high molecular weight polyethers with molecular weights of up to 2000 of the kind described in particular in Kunststoffhandbuch, vol. 7, Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich, 1966, p. 60 et seq, in the chapter entitled Polyethers.

The process according to the invention is carried out by reacting the alkali metal alcoholate or alkali metal hydroxide with a solution or suspension of the highly chlorinated alkyl-aromatic compound in the alcohol required for etherification and acetal formation, at a temperature in the range from 0 to 200 C. and preferably at a temperature of from 20 to 120 C. The alkali metal compound is used in a quantity of at least 3 mols per mol of the chlorine compound, and is preferably used in the calculated quantity or in a slight excess. The alkali metal hydroxide or alcoholate may be added either in solid form or in the form of a 5 to 70% by weight (and preferably 20 to 60% by weight) aqueous solution. In some instances,

it may be of advantage initially to introduce the alkaline solution and then to add the chlorine-containing compound to it. Suitable alkaline condensation agents include, above all, sodium and potassium hydroxide and sodium methoxide. The reaction is generally carried outwith external heating. In some instances, however, the reaction is so highly exothermic that additional heat need only be supplied towards the final stages of the reaction. The progress of the reaction may readily be followed by measuring the pH-value of the reaction mixture.

The quantity in which the alcohol is used corresponds at least to the calculated quantity, for example, 3, 5 or 7 mols per mol of the chlorine compound. In many instances, however, particularly where low molecular weight alcohols are used, it is of advantage to use an excess of the alcohol as solvent or diluent, so that the mixture with the solid chlorine compound can be effectively stirred. It may, however, also be of advantage to employ an excess when fairly high molecular weight alcohols or polyols are used. In some instances, for example in order to obtain reaction products of fairly low viscosity, this excess of alcohol may even be left in the reaction product and not subsequently separated.

Most of the compounds that can be obtained by the process according to the invention correspond to the formula in which x represents an integer from 2 to 5 and y represents an integer from 1 to 3, whilst R represents the radical of an alcohol as defined above. The compounds that can be obtained by the process according to the invention are valuable intermediates for the preparation of plantprotection agents and may even be directly used as such.

The herbicidal activity of the monoalkoxy aldehyde acetals is particularly pronounced. Thus, when used in a quantity of 5 kg./ha., 4-dichloromethyl-monomethoxytrichlorobenzaldehyde dimethyl acetal, obtained in accordance with Example 3, has a marked pre-emergence herbicidal effect on millet, whilst in the same test oats, cotton, wheat and mustard remain unaffected, and the same is true even when the compound is used in twice the quantity. The other monoalkoxy aldehyde acetals with low molecular weight alcohol radicals also show similar herbicidal activity.

It is possible, by hydrolysing the acetal groups in the compounds according to the invention, to provide alkoxy aldehydes that are otherwise difficult to prepare, some of which show different biological effects. Thus, monomethoxydichlorotrimesine aldehyde, melting at 123 C., obtained by hydrolysing the tris-acetal described in Example 4 with dilute sulphuric acid, has a fungicidal effect, in particular on the mycellium growth of Piricularia oryzae, Cercospora musae and Vertz'cilium albo-atrum.

The process according to the invention is illustrated by the following examples. The Roman numerals refer to the corresponding reaction equation as set out in Table A above.

Example 1 (according to I) CHClg C1130 -CH(O 011102 762 g. (2 mols) of tetrachloro-1,2-bis-(dichl0romethyl)- benzene were added in portions at to C. to a solution of 320 g. (8 mols) of sodium hydroxide in 3500 ml. of methanol. The reaction mixture was heated at a boiling point over a period of 10 hours and suction filtered from the sodium chloride that was precipitated. The excess methanol was evaporated from the filtrate and the residual oil was taken up in methylene chloride. The methylene chloride solution was Washed thoroughly with water and dried over potassium carbonate, and the excess methylene chloride was removed by distillation. Distillation of the residue in a high vacuum gave the acetal mixture in the form of a pale yellow oil.

Yield: 593 g. of the theoretical), B.P.=186 C. (0.2 torr), n 1.6583.

C H Cl O (368.5): Calculated (percent): C, 35.8; H, 3.1; Cl, 48.1; 0, 13.0. Found (percent): C, 36.2; H, 3.2; Cl, 47.9; 0, 13.1.

The same product was obtained by using potassium hydroxide instead of sodium hydroxide.

Example 2 (according to II) (omonoH 011(0 CH3):

381 g. (1 mol) of tetrachloro-1,3-bis-(dichloromethyl)- benzene were added in portions while stirring to a solution heated to approximately 60 C. of 230 g. mols+15% excess) of NaOH in 2000 cc. of methanol. After the exothermic reaction had subsided, the reaction mixture was heated at boiling point over a period of hours and suction filtered from the sodium chloride; most of the methanol was removed from the filtrate in vacuo, after which the filtrate was taken up in methylene chloride and washed with water. The methylene chloride solution dried over potash had excess solvent removed from it and the residue was distilled in vacuo.

The acetal mixture was obtained in the form of a pale yellow oil.

Yield: 303 g. (84% of the theoretical),.B.P.-=148- 150 C. (0.1 torr), 11 1.5377.

C H CI O (359.6): Calculated (percent): C, 43.42; H, 4.76; CI, 29.58. Found (percent): C, 43.45; H, 4.88;

Example 3 (according to III) Cl OH -CH(O 0H3).

C1 OCH:

382 g. (1 mol) of 1,4-bis-(dichloromethyl)-2,3,5,6- tetrachlorobenzene were introduced at 50-60 C. into a solution of 69 g. (3 gram-atoms) of sodium in 1 litre of methanol. The mixture was boiled under reflux for 7.5 hours and diluted with 1 litre of water. The oil which separated was taken up in methylene chloride, which was dried over sodium sulphate, and evaporated at a tempera-. ture of up to 100 C. in a water-jet vacuum mm. Hg). The oily residue was distilled in a high vacuum.

Yield: 336 g. (91% of the theoretical) of an almost colourless oil, B.P. 0.08:151" C., n =1.5780.

C H Cl O (368.5): Calculated (percent): C, 35.82; H, 2.99; Cl, 48.17; 0, 13.03. Found (percent): C, 36.3; H, 3.1; C1, 47.7; 0, 13.2.

When ethyl alcohol was used instead of methanol, a yellow oil of B.P. =155165 C., n Q=1.5600 was obtained, whilst an orange-coloured oil of B.P. 0q=188 200 C., n -=1.5197 was obtained when n-butanol was used. All three products were found by thin-layer chromatography to be isomer mixtures.

'Example 4 (according to IV) (CH30)zCH- CH(O CH3);

c1 0 CH3 CIIH(O CH3)2 216 g. (0.5 mol) of 1,3,S-tris-(dichloromethyl)-2,4,6- trichlorobenzene were introduced with cooling at 20-50 C. into a solution of 140 g. (3.5 mols) of sodium hydroxide in 1 litre of methanol. After the exothermic reaction was over, the mixture was boiled for 3 hours, and 1 litre of water was added to it. The crystals which precipitated were suction filtered and recrystallised from light etrol. p Yield: 146 g. (73% of the theoretical) of colourless crystals melting at 96-97 C.

C H Cl O (399): Calculated (percent): C, 48.12; H, 6.02; Cl, 17.90; 0, 28.7. Found-(percent): C, 47.7; H, 6.0; Cl, 18.2; 0, 28.9.

Example 5 (according to V) CHC12 CHaO OH(O CH3); (CHaO)2CH A solution of 115 g. (2.5 mols+15% excess) of sodium hydroxide in 1000 m1. of methanol was reacted at 50-70 C. with 215 g. (0.5 mol) of trichloro-1,2,4-tris-(dichloromethyl)benzene. To complete the reaction, the reaction mixture was heated for another 10 hours until it boiled. After working up (as in Example 1), the acetal mixture was obtained in the form of a light yellow oil.

Yield: 150 g. (73.5% of the theoretical), B.P.-=173- 175 C. (0.1 torr), n =1.5460.

C H Cl O (408.1): Calculated (percent): C, 41.2; H, 4.4; Cl, 34.8; 0, 19.6. Found (percent): C, 41.5; H, 4.1; Cl, 35.5; 0, 18.9.

Example 6 (according to VI) OHClz cmoomn Cl 0 CH3 ClzOH 191.6 g. (0.4 mol) of 1,3,4,5-tetra(dichloromethyl)- 3,6-dichlorobenzene was added to a solution of 46 g. (2 gram atoms) of sodium in 1000 ml. of methanol. The mixture was boiled under reflux for 24 hours and then diluted with 1000 ml. of Water. The oil which separated was dissolved in methylene chloride, and the resulting solution dried over sodium sulphate. The solvent was then evaporated at a temperature of up to 100 C. in a waterjet vacuum. A viscous oil was left as the residue from which colourless crystals melting at 200205 C. precipitated on prolonged standing.

Yield: 152 g. (83.4% of the theoretical).

C H Cl O (456.5): Calculated (percent): C, 39.43; H, 4.16; Cl, 38.88; 0, 17.53. Found (percent): C, 39.6; H, 4.5; Cl, 38.9; 0, 17.1.

Example 7 (according to I11) (0 CHzCHz)3-OH 900 g. (6 mols) of triethylene glycol and 382 g. (1 mol) of 1,4-bis-(dichloromethyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobenzene were heated to 80 C. and 266 g. (3 mols) of by weight aqueous sodium hydroxide were added at 100C. The mixture was stirred for 4 hours at 100 C., after which it had a pH value of 7. After dilution with 1000 ml. of water, the oil which separated was taken up in methylene chloride. The solution was dried over Na SO and the solvent was evaporated at a temperature up to C. in a water-jet vacuum.

Yield: 666 g. (92.2% of the theoretical) of a brown oil.

C H O Cl (723): Calculated (percent): CI, 24.6; OH-number 232. Found (percent): Cl, 26.9; OH-numbcr 217.

A product of similar composition was obtained by using tripropylene glycol instead of triethylene glycol.

Example 8 (according to III) 266 g. (3 mols) of 45% by weight aqueous sodium hydroxide were added at 70100 C. to 582 g. (3 mols) of cmuon C3117) X OH x=l6-17 (calc. 16.4).

133 g. (1.5 mol) of 45% by weight aqueous sodium hydroxide were added at 70l00 C. to 1500 g. (1.5 mol) of polypropylene glycol of molecular weight 1000 (OH- number 112) and 191 g. (0.5 mol) of 1,4-bis-(dichloromethyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobenzene. The mixture was stirred for 10 hours at 100 C., the solvent was distilled off in a water-jet vacuum at 100 C. and the residue was suction filtered to separate sodium chloride.

Yield: 1500 g. (96% of the theoretical) of a light brown oil, molecular weight 3287.

Calculated (percent): Cl, 5.4; OH-number 51. Found percent): CI, 5.9; OH-number 58.

A similar product with a lower OH-number and a lower chlorine content was obtained by using a polypropylene glycol of. molecular weight 2000 (OH-number 56).

Example 10 (according to IIII) Reaction product of octachloro-xylene (mixture of o-, m-, p-isomers) and tetraethylene glycol:

667 g. (7.5 mols) of 45% by weight aqueous sodium hydroxide were added at 90-100 C. to 1940 g. (10 mols) of tetra-ethylene glycol and 955 g. (2.5 mols) of octachloro-xylene which was obtained by the nuclear and sidechain-chlorination of commercial xylene and which contained a mixture of 0-, mand p-octa-chloro xylenes (Cf. Table A, I to H1). The mixture was stirred for 5 hours at 100 C., the solvent was distilled off at a temperature up to 100 C. in a water-jet vacuum and the residue was suction filtered to separate sodium chloride. 2259 g. of a brown oil with an OH-number of 307 and a chlorine content of 16.7% were obtained. The excess of tetraethylene glycol was not removed, but was used to lower the viscosity and to increase the OH-number of the reaction product.

8 We claim: 1. Aromatic monoalkoxyaldehyde acetals selected from the group consisting of CHC1Z OR CHC1- I :tt and CH(OR)1 crr 0 I on i (on) I 2 crnon 2 01:

c11012 Cl ornon 2 cucuwherein R is lower alkyl.

2. A compound according to claim 1, compound has the formula 3. A compound according to claim 1, compound has the formula CHCl 4. A compound according to claim 1, compound has the formula wherein such CIIClz wherein such wherein such S. A compound according to claim 1, wherein such compound has the formula c11012 C1 1 omon References Cited Ross et al.: JACS 71 (1949), 27562758.

BERNARD HELFIN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 71l24; 260999 Patent No. 3585242 Dated June 15J 1971' I nt0r( Ernst R005 and Klaus Wagner It is; certified Lhat error appears in the above-identified paLcnt and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line 23 (spec. p. 1, line 5) "S. D. Rose" should be S D. Ross line 40 (spec p. 2 line 12) "diecet als" should be diacetals Col. 6, line 45 (spec. p. 11, line 21) Cl C1 H 2 3" clzcH should b (0CH CH -OH (OCH2CH2)3OH (OoH Cd OH (0cH c 11 (OCH CH OH 2339 {JNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 7 3585242 L Dated June 15 197 Inventor) Ernst Roos and Klau s Wagner PAGE It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

-' C01. 6, line 70 (spec. p. l2, 'line 15) v Cl.

r H q1 j4-0H. c1 cH \/-cn I i 1 "(OCHZCHQA-OH should be l L ocn cn h-on cl cug X-CH C1 (ocH cn h-on (0011 n y -on 'Cl,, 28.8" should Be 31, 20.8

Patent No.

"Inventor(s) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1i CER'IIFICATE OF CORRECTION June 15 197-1 35852 42' Dated PAGE..-. 3

Ernst R005 and Kleu's Wagner It is certified that error appears in the above-identified parent and that seid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

- I 25 -17 (CllC 16,4

should be I 3g =l6-17 (calc. 16.4)

Signed and sealed this 11th day offianuary I972.

[ EDWARD M. FLErozmR, JH.

Attesting Officer ROBERT GOT'ISCHALK .J

Acting Commissioner of Patents 

